Five stars from Broadway Baby

Hurrah! The first review of the festival, and it's glowing so brightly that you might not want to look directly at (though please do look directly at it, or you will not be able to read it).

From Broadway Baby:

Whoever thought a ‘Victorian sketch show’ would work? Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck – The Penny Dreadfuls – that’s who, and they should be applauded for their ingenuity, comic prowess and real comedic innovation.

Something macabre is happening in the city of London. The Brotherhood have built Tower Bridge to use as a temple under the leadership of Mr Frost, who ‘puts a lot of hours in’ to being evil. People are being killed left, right and centre – for reasons, besides the aforementioned evil nature, that I didn’t quite work out (though I didn’t care). Only second-chance copper McAllister, whose first chance was spent when accidentally ignoring ‘Rule Number 1’ of policing (i.e. not shooting a child in the face), and childrens’ author Rufus Hambledon – he of Jeremy Frog (and all its sequels) fame – can save the day. [...]

An exceptional show has been created here. Not only is it at times snortingly funny, but in form, content and structure it is unlike any other sketch show that I have seen. Imagine a crime thriller inside a gothic horror which bypasses action movies and comedies of manners. Add a significant dollop of stupidness, a smattering of silly voices and some expert character comedy and you just about have Aeneas Faversham Forever.

Click through to read the whole thing.